Metal powder bed fusion additive manufacturing (AM) technologies have allowed for the fabrication of complex geometries without the need of tooling, molds, or dies while also limiting material waste. Electron beam melting (EBM), for example, uses a metal powder precursor material that is selectively melted in a layer-by-layer fashion using an electron beam, referred to as powder bed fusion.
AM technologies like EBM have seen increased use in aerospace, biomedical, and automotive industries to manufacture re-engineered components with improved performance as a result of added complexity and functionality. A common result from metallurgical studies shows microstructural anisotropy in the Z-direction (i.e., direction perpendicular to the build, platform) of fabricated parts.
Accordingly, it is believed that a need exists for methods and systems that improve the fatigue performance of EBM-fabricated parts.